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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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Posted: Feb 19 2010 Post subject: My modification project with pics |
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I'm a cooker not a fabricator so I'm very nervous about chopping up my smoker in the hopes that I have a better cooker. However, I realize I waste a tremendous amount of wood using a burn barrel and want to get your thoughts on my ideas for modification. Based on the dimensions of the cooker 6' by 30" and using the "calculator" I believe I will need a firebox 2'x2'x29.5" with a 2'x6" gap between the firebox and cooking chamber. One concern I have is the size of the smoke stack. My intention is to create a reverse flow smoker so I would keep the smoke stack on side away from the firebox closed at all times but I'm concerned the smoke stack on the firebox side is too small to create the draw I need. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. _________________ UDS
Thermos
Cinder Block Spit/Smoker
250gal. Offset Smoker
84 Lang Kitchen
Ya know how ya git to Carnegie Hall don't cha...practice
www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36580
Last edited by bootlegbbq on Mar 29 2010; edited 2 times in total |
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joshsheff1 BBQ Pro
Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 734 Location: St. Louis, MO
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Posted: Feb 19 2010 Post subject: |
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I'm not sure what size your exhaust is, but based on your pics. it does look a lil small. What's the diameter of the pipe? _________________ SLBS BOD
SLBS CBJ
KCBS CBJ
Big Green Egg
Reverse flow smoker |
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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Posted: Feb 20 2010 Post subject: My modification project |
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joshshef1 the existing exhaust is 4" diameter x 2'. The calculator calls for 8" x 17". I'm wondering if I can just add another 4" exhaust placed on top of the cooker? _________________ UDS
Thermos
Cinder Block Spit/Smoker
250gal. Offset Smoker
84 Lang Kitchen
Ya know how ya git to Carnegie Hall don't cha...practice
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day_trippr BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 08 May 2009 Posts: 3206 Location: Stow, MA
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Posted: Feb 20 2010 Post subject: Re: My modification project |
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bootlegbbq wrote: | joshshef1 the existing exhaust is 4" diameter x 2'. The calculator calls for 8" x 17". I'm wondering if I can just add another 4" exhaust placed on top of the cooker? |
8" pipe provides 50 square inches of area, while the 4" only has 12. So doubling up the 4" will only get you half-way.
The calculator says if you extended your 4" stack to 6 feet tall, you'd be all set with your intended firebox dimensions.
Otoh, doubling up with 4" diameter stacks would be the equivalent of a single 6" stack (rounding up from 5.6") and if you plug that 6" stack diameter into the calculator, the resulting stack height would come down to 30 inches.
So...if you added a second 4" stack to the firebox end and brought both stacks at that end up to 30" tall, you'd be good to rock and roll
Cheers! _________________ Save the planet: it's the only one with beer!
FrankennBrinkmann ECB
Char-Broil Commercial Gasser |
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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Posted: Feb 20 2010 Post subject: My modification project |
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Wow. Glad I asked. When we get started I'll post more pictures. Sorry for the formatting. This was my first time posting pictures. I think I figured out the problem and will open a new, more user friendly post next time. Thanks! _________________ UDS
Thermos
Cinder Block Spit/Smoker
250gal. Offset Smoker
84 Lang Kitchen
Ya know how ya git to Carnegie Hall don't cha...practice
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day_trippr BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 08 May 2009 Posts: 3206 Location: Stow, MA
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Posted: Feb 20 2010 Post subject: Re: My modification project |
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bootlegbbq wrote: | Wow. Glad I asked. When we get started I'll post more pictures. Sorry for the formatting. This was my first time posting pictures. I think I figured out the problem and will open a new, more user friendly post next time. Thanks! |
If you Edit your original post (top right corner - see the Edit icon?) to stack the pictures vertically (ie: stick line returns between the img tag pairs) it'll straighten out the whole thread
Cheers! _________________ Save the planet: it's the only one with beer!
FrankennBrinkmann ECB
Char-Broil Commercial Gasser |
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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Posted: Feb 20 2010 Post subject: My modification project |
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Thanks day_trippr. Now on to the build. _________________ UDS
Thermos
Cinder Block Spit/Smoker
250gal. Offset Smoker
84 Lang Kitchen
Ya know how ya git to Carnegie Hall don't cha...practice
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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Posted: Mar 10 2010 Post subject: |
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day_trippr...I just realized the measurement on my existing smoke stack is 4"OD and 3 1/2" ID. Will this change your calculations?
On the location of the firebox, I already have an existing opening where the coal drawer pulls out of the cooking chamber. Does the top of the firebox need to be within a certain distance to the top of the existing opening? _________________ UDS
Thermos
Cinder Block Spit/Smoker
250gal. Offset Smoker
84 Lang Kitchen
Ya know how ya git to Carnegie Hall don't cha...practice
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day_trippr BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 08 May 2009 Posts: 3206 Location: Stow, MA
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Posted: Mar 11 2010 Post subject: |
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A 3.5" ID stack doubled up with a second stack of the same ID would be equivalent to a single 5" ID stack. Using your earlier cook chamber & firebox dimensions, the spreadsheet recommends that a 5" ID stack should be 43" tall. Should be doable, I'd think.
As for the firebox-to-cook chamber connection: the optimum would have the top of the firebox opening as near as possible to the top of the firebox, to minimize if not eliminate any hindrance to outflow. And the top of the opening into the cook chamber (ie: the same elevation AGL) would be at the ideal height of a tuning or reverse-flow plate - which in turn would be at the ideal spacing to the bottom cooking grate.
So the "best" answer to your question is a bit more complex than fitting the firebox to an existing hole in the cooker...
Cheers _________________ Save the planet: it's the only one with beer!
FrankennBrinkmann ECB
Char-Broil Commercial Gasser |
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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Posted: Mar 11 2010 Post subject: |
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Thanks for your help day_trippr. You've answered all my questions, some of which I probably should have figured out Since this is not something I do on a regular basis it is good to have you're input.  _________________ UDS
Thermos
Cinder Block Spit/Smoker
250gal. Offset Smoker
84 Lang Kitchen
Ya know how ya git to Carnegie Hall don't cha...practice
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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Posted: Mar 31 2010 Post subject: |
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OK, I got my door and vents cut out but the guy who cut it out wasn't listening when I told him not to cut the corners completely out so that I could attach the hinges before completing the cut. Any thoughts on the best way to move forward so that my hinges work properly? _________________ UDS
Thermos
Cinder Block Spit/Smoker
250gal. Offset Smoker
84 Lang Kitchen
Ya know how ya git to Carnegie Hall don't cha...practice
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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k.a.m. BBQ Mega Star

Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 26020 Location: Southeast Texas.
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Posted: Apr 01 2010 Post subject: |
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bootlegbbq, your rebuild is looking fantastic y'all are doing some mighty fine work I am watching your progress and look forward to seeing some more pics.
If you are talking about your fire box door being cut loose before the hinges were attached, I would have gone the same way. Mounting hinges on a fixed door and then cutting it loose spells misery because they will almost always sag on you. It is better to kick the door up a bit then weld out the hinge to compensate for the sag in material. At least this is how I approach the idea. _________________ Always remember slow and steady wins the race.
Hybrid Cooker |
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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Posted: Apr 01 2010 Post subject: |
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Thanks K.A.M....I had it all wrong. I was under the impression it was better to weld the hinges on, then finish cutting the door. Thanks for the input. _________________ UDS
Thermos
Cinder Block Spit/Smoker
250gal. Offset Smoker
84 Lang Kitchen
Ya know how ya git to Carnegie Hall don't cha...practice
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bootlegbbq BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 400 Location: Floyd, VA
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joshsheff1 BBQ Pro
Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 734 Location: St. Louis, MO
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Posted: Apr 06 2010 Post subject: |
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Looking good bootlegbbq  _________________ SLBS BOD
SLBS CBJ
KCBS CBJ
Big Green Egg
Reverse flow smoker |
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zysmith BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 27 Mar 2009 Posts: 1168 Location: Uxbridge, MA
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Posted: Apr 06 2010 Post subject: |
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Not sure if I will ever build my own but I love to look at everyone's projects.
Nice job! _________________ Chris from Uxbridge,MA
Kingsford barrel grill with offset smoker
Weber Silver B gasser |
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